Cardinals at Reds
Adam Wainwright is expected to come off the disabled list and make his first start in two weeks when the visiting St. Louis Cardinals face the Cincinnati Reds in the rubber match of their three-game series. St. Louis won for the first time in six meetings at Great American Ball Park this season with a 4-1 victory on Saturday.
Trailing the first-place Chicago Cubs by 4 1/2 games in the National League Central, the Cardinals need a healthy Wainwright, who is 11-2 since losing his first three starts of the year before landing on the DL with tightness in his back. "I'm always going to be an optimist, but this time has (allowed) my legs to feel good, my back feels good," Wainwright told reporters after throwing a side session on Wednesday. "My head is clear." Joey Votto clubbed his 28th homer to extend his hitting streak to 10 games for Cincinnati, which had won four of five before Saturday's setback. Homer Bailey makes his ninth start of the year Sunday and is searching for his first win at home, where he's 0-3 with an 11.08 ERA.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (11-5, 4.89 ERA) vs. Reds RH Homer Bailey (3-5, 7.32)
Wainwright was on a roll prior to his back flaring up, tossing 7 2/3 innings of two-run ball in a no-decision at Chicago to run his unbeaten streak to six starts. However, He turned in one of his worst performances of the season at Cincinnati on June 6, when he was shelled for nine runs over 3 2/3 frames. Tucker Barnhart is 4-for-9 with a homer against Wainwright.
Bailey came through with a much-needed confidence booster in his last outing, earning the victory by limiting Pittsburgh to one run and four hits over six innings. That snapped a three-game losing streak during which Bailey was tagged for 17 runs and 26 hits over 16 frames. Bailey has been tormented by Matt Carpenter (17-for-29) and Yadier Molina (13-for-36, 3 HRs).
WALK-OFFS
1. Votto is 12-for-20 with three homers and six RBIs in his last six games versus St. Louis.
2. Cardinals rookie SS Paul DeJong took over the team lead with 15 home runs, all coming in 57 contests.
3. Reds All-Star SS Zack Cozart will come off the 10-day DL for the series finale.